Truck brake appliance.



A. L. SAXON. TRUCK BRAKE APPLIANGB. APPLIOATIQN FILED 11:13.19, 1910.

969,149.4 Pater-med Aug. 30, 1910.

2 SHEETS--SHBET 1.

@ffm

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

zyeizow A. L. sAXoN.

TRUCK BRAKE APPLIANCE.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

APPLICATION FILED IBB.-19, 1910. 969,149.

- UMTED sTATEs 'PATENT OFFICE.

' ANDREWL. saxon, or WHITFIELD, TEXAS.

'o all whom 'it may concern:

Be it knownv that I, ANDREW L. SAxoN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Whitfield, in the county of Briscoe and .'State of Texas, have invented new and useful `Improvements in Truck Brake Appli- -.ances, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to an automatic truck brake appliance for railway cars, and consists essentially of improvements on the ,construction disclosed by my Letters Patent No. 853,122, granted May 7 1907.

The objectA sought in the improved structure is in all respects similar to that evolved by the patented structure and contemplates means operatively associated with a railway car truck and any ordinary or preferred fluidpressure brake mechanism for causing the instant application of the brake shoes to the truck wheels when the truck assumes an abnormal position in relation to the car body as when the truck is shifted to an angle greater than that imparted thereto in trav- ,eling over maximum curves, or when one or more-wheels of the truck leave or jump one `or both rails of a track.

The primary object of the improved struc- `ture is to render the application of the fluid .pressure brake mechanism to the wheels of a .car truck, whenthe latter is abnormally disposed Vrelatively to the car body, more positive and reliable by reducing the presy sure in the train pipe, the brakes in the improved mechanism being applicable to the wheels of either one or both trucks of a car and automatically operating to establish a disconnection between the devices coperatlng wlth the truck and a valve provided in connection wlth the brake mechanism to 1n- `surea wide-opencondition of the valve and a consequent continuance of. the application of the brake to set up a resistance to move- TRUCK BRAKE APPLIANCE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

mechanism remains in its normal condition and ap lication or is not required to be modified) to adapt the appliance thereto, such additions as are made to the train ipe being readily connected to the latter wit out in the least impairin the efliciency of the brake mechanism in t e performance of its desired functions, andthe appliance includes as an essential feature an additional valve disposed in convenient position for operation by the truck actuated devices. This additional valve may be of any. preferred structure, and that form thereof illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter described is used simply as a means for demonstrating the practicability of the improved appliance. It will also be understood from the variations of the improved structure which will be explained, that it is intended to adopt any analogous instrumentalities having a similar function, and, furthermore, the exact positions of the parts subsequently specified are-not essential and may be varied at will in accordance with the requirements of various applications, changes in the dimensions and proportions and variations in the details of construction being contemplated within the scope of the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1- is a side elevation of a portion of a car showing a truck and the improved automatic brake appliance disposed in operative relation to and cooperating with the fluid pressure. brake mechanism. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the car as shown by Fig.l l.l Fig. 8 is a detail view in elevation, partiallyy in section, illustrating the manner of attaching the additional valve and operating mechanism' to the fiuid pressure brake mechanism and einbodying a manually operative cut-out valve. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View through the additional valve showing the eccentric actu'- ating means and the association therewith of the devices connected to the truck, the several parts being in normal position. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the valvev open and the parts in corresponding p y Patented Aug. 30, 1910.A Application led February 19, 1910. Serial No. 544,769.

positions or as having been operated by an Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a car bed or bottom provided with trucks 2, one only being shown, and provided ywith wheels 3. The air brake mechanism or organization includes as usual a train pipe 4, brake cylinder 5, and auxiliary yreservoir 6 assembled and operating in a manner which will be readily understood. The car and trucks and the brake mechanism may be of any known or preferred construction and arrangement, the trucks being swiveled to the car body or so assembled in relation to the. latter as to be capable of movement for obvious reasons.

A branch pipe 7 is coupled to the train pipe 4 and also connected to the brake cylinder 5, and at an intermediate point a pipe 8 is attached to the branch pipe 7 and has communication wit-h and supports an additional or controlling valve 9 of any preferred construction, the said valve also being secured to a part of the bottom structure of the car body to rigidly and positively hold the same in operative Aposition relatively to the devices coperat-ing therewith and embodying the features of thecin'vention. In the pipe 8 between the pipe 7 and the valve 9 a manually-operative cut-off valve 10 is introduced for the purpose of shutting oil' communication of the valve 9 from the pipe 7 to permit the fluid pressure brake organization to be operated independently of the 4improved 'automatic truck brake appliance or devices in the event that it is desirable and necessary at any time to arrange the improved appliance in inoperative condition relatively to the luid pressure brake mechanism.

As hereinbefore indicated, the valve 9 as shown is capable of variations in structure, or the invention is not limited or coniined to the use of any specific form of valve, but for the purposes of practical demonstration of the invention the valve 9 as shown has a plunger or stem 11 projecting through the bottom thereof and provided at its inner end with a head 12 coperating with a seat 13 to control communication between the interior of the valve casing, or the valve chamber 14 and lateral exhaust ports 15. The plunger or stem 11 works against the resistance of a spring 16 seated within the valve and engages a part of the said plunger or stem to insure an automatic closure of the head 12 against the seat 13 when pressure is relieved from the lower end of the plunger or stem. A bracket 17 depends from the lower end of the casing of the valve 9 and movably supports the release or unseating means for the plunger or stem 11 andits head 12. This releasing or unseating means is shown in two forms, Figs. 3, 4 and 5 illustrating the same as being of dual form, and Fig. 7 showing the same as of single form. As illustrated by Figs. 3, 4 and 5,

the release orv unseating means consists of two eccentrics 18 and 19 of duplicate construction and loosely movable on an axis 19, the eccentrics being in reverse positions re1- atively to each other but both having cams 20 and 21 directly beneath and positioned to contact with the lower end of the plunger or stem 11. The reverse position of the releasing or unseating means embodying -the two eccentrica naturally results in 'a reverse direction of movement of the same, but with a similar resultant actuation of the plunger or stem 11 to unseat the head 12. One eccentric is freely operative without in the least affecting the other, and each has a depending engaging terminal 22 of hook form as shown, the degree of hook contour of Dthe eccentric terminals being variable or not confined to any precise extent, it being only suiiicient that they eectively serve to remain intact with operating means until a certain movement of each eccentric and its cam has ensued and which will be more fully hereinafter explained. The lower portion of each eccentric adjacent to itsengaging terminal is provided with a releasing projection 23, the projections of the two eccentrics lbeing normally in the position shown by Fig. 4. Continuing upwardly from each projection 23 is an outwardly inclined edge 24 which with the projection 23 contributes to the release of the engaging terminal 22 of each eccentric from its operating means when the eccentric has attained a certain position or when the head 12 has been unseated through the actuation' of the plunger or stem 11 by the cam 2O or 21, and at the time that the engaging terminal 22 of either eccentric is released from its operating means the corresponding cam of the eccentric operated will be about in the position shown by Fig. 5 and hold the head 12 unseated and permit a release of air through th'e ports 15 and an application of the brakes, the eccentric when elevated in the manner shown by Fig. 5 being held in such position owing yto the' relation of the high part of the cam thereof relatively to and over the axis 19a. In other words, the eccentric that is actuated and moved to' bring the cam.thereof with pressure against the lower end of the plunger or stem 11 is locked jection 28 and an outwardly .inclined edge 29 continuing from said projection.

The operating means or leasing or unseating vmeans as just `=explained, may be varied,and as shown by Figs. 1 and 2 comprises ytwo chains or analogous flexible devices 30 attached to the top' portion of the truck bolster 31 on ,opposite sides of the center-.pin or post 32 and converged toward and attached to one end of a draw rod or bar 33, the Isaid draw rod or bar having its opposite end adjustably connected to one arm of a bell-crank lever 34 movably attached to and depending from a portion of the carcbed. To the remaining arm of the bell-crank lever asecond or auxiliary draw rod or bar 35 is adjustably attached and at its opposite extremity is provided with a head'36 having cross-bars ormembers 37, 38 and 39, the cross-.bars or members 37 and 38 being positioned inwardly from the free terminal of the rod or bar 35 and spaced, as clearly shown by Figs. 4 and 5, to provide a seat or slot 40 to normally engage the terminal 22 of one of the eccentrics 18 or 19 in accordance with the truck of the car to which the said draw or pull devices are directly connected. The cross-bar or member 39 is locatedat the free terminal of the 'draw rod or bar and serves to engage the projection 23 and come in-contact with the inclined edge 24 to clear the engaging termnal22 from the slot 40 when the eccentric that is actuated reaches a certain elevation for purposes hereinbefore explained. `The draw rods or bars 33 and 35 .are similarly arranged in connection with each truck and the inner ends or free extremities of the rods or bars 35 individually coperate with and engage the terminals 22 of the respective eccentrics 18 and 19 so that no matter which truck of a carassumes an abnormal position or is derailed, the plunger orstem 11 will be operated and the head. 12 unseated to cause a release of the air from the train lpipe and an escape through the ports 15 to set the brakes in connection with the abnormally lpositioned truck as well as the -remaining truck that maybe in normal position on the rails. It is also possible that both trucks may be disposed in abnormal positions or become derailed, and in such an event both eccentrics would be actuated without interference one with the other and apply pressure to the plunger or stem 11 and unseat the head 12. The movement of the'bars or rods 33 and 35 may be regulated` as desired and lound necessary, or the strokes thereof lengthened or shortened relatively to the motion required vto'render the releasing and unseating means .sensitive in its operation, by shifting the ,endsof said rods or bars relatively to the bell-crank lever 34, and as.

an assistance in returning the parts to'nordevices for t'lievreymal position after the truckl that vhas been abnormally disposedbas been normally positioned, a spring 41 is `attached the onel arn'r of the y'bell-crank lever and to anadjacent portionol' the bed ofl the car body,

- as clearly shownby'Fig. 1. Itis possible alsol to obtain a similar operation of the draw rods er bars by attachingtlie rear "end of cach draw rod or bar by a flexible connection 42 to the center of the upperportionof the bolster truck l31lin advance of the center-pin or post 32 as shown by Fig. (i, and correspondingly adjusting 'the end of the rod or 'bar engaging the bell-crank lever 34 so as to insure suflicient movement of the eccentric controlled by each draw rod or bar in its modified application. In this instance the draw4 rods or bars 35 .will

be used and alsofadjustedif foundlnecessary. In some-instances the draw lrods or bars 33 might be directly attached to the car truck bolstel, the only advantage in using the` flexible connecting meansy as A3,()

and 42 being to'compensateon the slight rocking or' swerving movement of the truck in ordinary travel over rails and inltraversing curves. l y .1'

The pull meansA in`conn1ectionvwith the single form of eccentric orl releasingl or'unseating means as shown byv Fig.l 7 is the same with relation to one truck as hei-einbefore explained, but differs in grelation` to the remaining truckfthelatter having, a chain or analogous flexible means 43 suitably attached thereto and carried rearwardly and trained over a sheave or pulley 44 supported in any preferred manner from the car bed, and the said chain or analogous `-flexible means is then carried forward a short dis- 'Y tanceand secured to the auxiliary draw rod or bar 35 so that the eccentric 25 will always be moved inthe same direct-ion'irrespective of which truck will become abnormally disposed or derailed or in the'event that both .trucltsare abnormally disposed. The draw rods or bars are held against falling below a predetermined plane by hangers 45 secured to and depending from the carbed or body,

and by this means the "several operating vparts of the improved structure are always maintained in operative-position. 7

The operation ot the improved appliance. willv be understood 'from' therjfore'go'ing descriptiomand as aV summary it may bebrietly stated that 4the abnormal'v dispositiony or derailment of either truck of a'car will result in a drawing action on the rods or bars 33 and 35 or on the chain or other flexible deing terminal 22 vof the` eccentric, together with the latter, will be elevated and ay clearanceof the saidterminal from the' slot or seat 40 of the rod or" bar 35 will'ensueraf-ter the eccentric has been raised to a certain position or is swung on the axis 19a and when vice 43, as the case may-be, andithe engagiso the cam of the actuated eccentric assumes a locking position relatively to the lower end of the plunger or stem 11 to hold the head 12 unseated. When the eccentric has been elevated to and assumed a locked position, the rod or bar 35 will fall to normal position, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5, or from the slight elevation thereof above a horizontal plane due to its following'up or upward movement with the eccentric owing to the engagement of the terminal 22 with the slot or seat 40 and which upward movement will continue until a release of the terminal 22 has been effected by the crossbar or member 39. W'hen the truck has been restored to normal position and the several parts are also redisposed in normal operative position, the engaging terminal of the actuated eccentric will be again caused to enter the slot 40. The release of the terminal of either eccentric from the pull or draw means cooperating therewith prevents breakage of the eccentric that might ensue by continued engagement of the lower terminal,

thereof with the pull or draw means, particularly when the abnormally positioned or derailed truck was subjected to a jolting or slight traveling movement after its normal disposition or derailment. When the improved appliance is reset, the plunger or stem 11 and head 12 will return to normal osition and the air brakes will be restored orordinary braking operations or similar release actuation by the appliance. The pull devices connected to the trucks and operating the single valve organization normally have such arrangement as to length and tension that the brakes will be applied by opening the train line as soon as the flanges of the wheels of either truck move upwardly onto the balls of the rails of the track, and by this means the brakes will be expeditiously applied and to a material extent check the irregular movement of the trucks or at least set up such resistance against the movement of the trucks as to obstruct the same in irregularly traveling away from the rails in derailed posit-ions.A

What is claimed is :l

1. A truck brake appliance comprising the combination with a train pipe, of a jvalve mechanism communicating with said "pipe and operative to open the latter to the atmosphere, and a single valve unseating organization for opening the said valve mechanism;V and directly connected to the frames ofb'o'th trucks of a car and operable by either one or both of the trucks to open the valve mechanism to the atmosphere.

2. The combination with a train pipe and car trucks, of a single valve mechanism operatively associated with both trucks and Vthe train pipe to establish communication of the valve'mechanism with the atmosphere,

and a single valve unseating organization connected to both trucks and comprising reversely operating eccentrically disposed devices connected to the trucks for opening the valve mechanism, either one or both of the trucks when derailed actuating the single unseating organization to open the va ve mechanism to the atmosphere.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a train pipe opening valve to establish communication -of the train pipe with the atmosphere and a single unseating organization for the valve having means for operating the valve connected to the frames of both trucks of the car and actuatedby either one or both of said trucks.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a single train pipe opening valve arranged on each car to establish communication of vthe train pipe with the atmosphere, a valve actuating mechanism arranged for operation by one or both car trucks, and independent connections between dilierent parts of the valve actuating mechanism and the frames of the two trucks for directly operating the said valve actuating mechanism when either one or both of the trucks are disposed irregularly relatively to the track ral s.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a single train pipe opening valve on each car to establish communication of the train pipe with the atmosphere, a single valve operating organization associated with said train pipe opening valve, and operating connections extending from said single valve operating organization to the frames of the car trucks and arranged to actuate the valve operating organization either independently or conjointly in accordance with the irregular position of one or both trucks relatively to the track rails.

6. The combination with a train pipe having a valve for opening the same to the atmosphere and car trucks, of a single valve unseatingy organization for each pair of trucks and operatively associated with the said train pipe valve, the said unseating valve organization comprising a pair of reversely arranged independently operable eccentrics to 'engage a portion of said valve to open the latter, and connections attached to the eccentrics and extending away from the latter in opposite directions and secured ,to the car trucks for operating either one or botli of the eccentrics in accordance with thc irregular position of either one or both of the car trucks relatively to the rails, a cut-out device between the train pipe and valve being provided to permit the train pipe to have normal operation independently of the truck controlled mechanism.

7 The combination with a train pipe and car trucks, of valve mechanism operatively associated with the train pipe to establish communication between said pipe and the atmosphere,. unseating means consisting of reversely arranged independent operable devices to engage a portion of the valve mechanism and o en the valve, and shifting means connecte to the car trucks and engaging parts of the said devices tov move the latter a predetermined distance 10 to cause the valve mechanism to remain open, the shifting means being automatically separable from the said devices.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of .two subscribing Witnesses.

ANDREW L; sAXoN'.

WVitnesses:

JAMES L. NORRIS, Jr.,

CHAs. S; HYER. 

